# Those Cuban Cigars Are Getting Expensive



## DriftyGypsy (May 24, 2006)

From Perelman's Website 

Los Angeles, June 13 - The government office responsible for monitoring violations of the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba has U.S. cigar smokers in its sights.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a department of the U.S. Treasury, has handed out seven penalties so far this year with fines totaling $13,712.75 to Americans who "purchased Cuban-origin cigars offered for sale on the Internet."

That's a high level of enforcement compared to past years. For example, in all of 2006, OFAC handed out only two such penalties, and late in the year, with fines totaling $2,189. Most of the penalties issued by OFAC to individuals prior to the fourth quarter of last year were for unauthorized travel to Cuba or the sale of goods or services by companies without an OFAC license to do so.

In the cigar cases handed down so far this year, penalties ranged from a low of $820 to a high of $6,088.85 for violations ranging from a single case to multiple instances:

• April: a fine of $820.00 for an individual who bought Cuban cigars on the Internet in 2005.

• April: a fine of $1,071.90 for an individual who bought cigars in 2004 and 2005.

• May: a fine of $6,088.85 for an individual who bought cigars from 2003-06.

• May: a fine of $1,261.00 for an individual who bought cigars in 2006.

• June: a fine of $856.00 for an individual who bought cigars in 2002-03.

• June: a fine of $1,311.00 for an individual who bought cigars in 2004.

• June: a fine of $2,304.00 for an individual who bought cigars in 2005-06.

It's worth noticing that as OFAC acquires records of transactions going back as far as five years, it is imposing fines, no doubt based on the number and size of the violations. In addition, OFAC has sent letters to smokers with U.S. addresses who are suspected of being customers of Internet sites which ship Havana cigars into the United States. So while the practice continues, the U.S. Government has increased its vigilance of the Cuban cigar trade into the U.S.

In case you had any doubts, the language of the current Cuban cigar regulations, issued in September 2004, read:

"There is now an across the board ban on the importation into the United States of Cuban-origin cigars and other Cuban-origin tobacco products, as well as most other products of Cuban origin. This prohibition extends to such products acquired in Cuba, irrespective of whether a traveler is licensed by OFAC to engage in Cuba travel-related transactions, and to such products acquired in third countries by any U.S. traveler, including purchases at duty free shops. Importation of these Cuban goods is prohibited whether the goods are purchased directly by the importer or given to the importer as a gift. Similarly, the import ban extends to Cuban-origin tobacco products offered for sale over the Internet or through the catalog mail purchases."

Is OFAC seriously impeding the flow of Cuban cigars into the U.S. with these penalties? Probably not. But forewarned is forearmed: OFAC is watching you.


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## stormin (Feb 11, 2005)

My advice to all you folks south of the border would be to rid yourself of any Cuban cigars in your collections as quickly as possible.


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

stormin said:


> My advice to all you folks south of the border would be to rid yourself of any Cuban cigars in your collections as quickly as possible.


hell with that, I am drinkin whisky, loading my guns and boarding up the windows lol


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## Deuce Da Masta (Dec 4, 2006)

I think the odds of getting hit are about the same as winning the lotto. If you (or the company you're buying from) doesn't take certain precautions you run a higher risk but in all pretty slim chance.

At the current rate, $26,000 in fines issued to US citizens is a drop in the bucket. Is it really worth it? Maybe. Will I try it, no. I'll never win the lotto, but probably would win the OFAC because I'm that kind of lucky.


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## DriftyGypsy (May 24, 2006)

PaulMac said:


> hell with that, I am drinkin whisky, loading my guns and boarding up the windows lol


Watch out for the Black Helicopters over head.


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## CigarNation (Oct 4, 2006)

CigarPass has done an extensive post about the letters and the fines.

Here it is


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## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

PaulMac said:


> hell with that, I am drinkin whisky, loading my guns and boarding up the windows lol


I thought you already did that .........:r


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## DriftyGypsy (May 24, 2006)

RPB67 said:


> PaulMac said:
> 
> 
> > hell with that, I am drinkin whisky, loading my guns and boarding up the windows lol
> ...


He has a lot of whiskey, guns and windows.... :r


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## smokin' machinist (Sep 23, 2006)

stormin said:


> My advice to all you folks south of the border would be to rid yourself of any Cuban cigars in your collections as quickly as possible.


1 at a time! :ss


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## LiteHedded (Apr 10, 2005)

still limited to our friend in .........?


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## Deuce Da Masta (Dec 4, 2006)

CigarNation said:


> CigarPass has done an extensive post about the letters and the fines.
> 
> Here it is


That is some pretty interesting info. Just adds more to me not trying my luck, I will just set here and wait for the embargo to be lifted.:hn


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

PaulMac said:


> hell with that, I am drinkin whisky, loading my guns and boarding up the windows lol


Open the door when I give the secret knock Paul...I'll bring a bottle of Stoli, a box of Gerbils, and my AR-15.


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

icehog3 said:


> Open the door when I give the secret knock Paul...I'll bring a bottle of Stoli, a box of Gerbils, and my AR-15.


Can I get in on this? I'll bring the heavy duty aluminum foil!


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## King James (Dec 18, 2005)

icehog3 said:


> Open the door when I give the secret knock Paul...I'll bring a bottle of Stoli, a box of Gerbils, and my AR-15.





burninator said:


> Can I get in on this? I'll bring the heavy duty aluminum foil!


can I just come for the stoli? haha jk


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## Archer82 (Apr 11, 2007)

icehog3 said:


> Open the door when I give the secret knock Paul...I'll bring a bottle of Stoli, a box of Gerbils, and my AR-15.


You bring the Gerbils I will bring the cardboard tubes. :ss


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## riverdawg (Dec 4, 2006)

Archer82 said:


> You bring the Gerbils I will bring the cardboard tubes. :ss


Oh good yikes!!!

"Bring out the gimp"

"Gimps sleepin'"

"You better wake his ass up then"

buhhhhhhh (shivers)


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## Bigga Petey (Mar 25, 2005)

*PLEASE* tell me there won't be any banjos.

:mn


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## Puffy69 (Sep 8, 2005)

Im glad I live in Hong Kong and only smoke Dominicans..So im Safe..:tu


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## Stonato~ (Dec 22, 2006)

That's great news for Americans! Such a small number... I'm sure more people got busted for dubbing a VHS tape.


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## Boston_Dude05 (Oct 10, 2006)

Very unfortunate taxpayer $s are being spent on this. We can only hope the embargo will be lifted soon.


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## No1der (Apr 2, 2007)

Bigga Petey said:


> *PLEASE* tell me there won't be any banjos.
> 
> :mn


But I love the "Twang" :ss :r


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## No1der (Apr 2, 2007)

I also guess that it's a good thing that I'm smoking a Padron 2000 right now. Nothing illicit about that.

Seriously, I love the taste of a good CC but I still have my Padrons as a goto cigar.


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## pnoon (Jun 8, 2005)

Boston_Dude05 said:


> Very unfortunate taxpayer $s are being spent on this. We can only hope the embargo will be lifted soon.


Not everyone feels the end of the embargo will be good for the serious cigar smoker. Yes, the legal liability will be gone but the demand will likely rise way beyond supply. Price will increase (some say dramatically) and quality could decline. People think Cohibas are expensive now? Just wait.


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## DriftyGypsy (May 24, 2006)

pnoon said:


> Not everyone feels the end of the embargo will be good for the serious cigar smoker. Yes, the legal liability will be gone but the demand will likely rise way beyond supply. Price will increase (some say dramatically) and quality could decline. People think Cohibas are expensive now? Just wait.


JRs will be selling them...


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## Pete (Feb 27, 2007)

Quality has always been my concern. 

More cigars need more leaves and more workers rolling.

All things equal, I think it brings about the potential for less-than-perfect leaves and less-than-perfect rolls "slipping" their way through the cracks...


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## pnoon (Jun 8, 2005)

DriftyGypsy said:


> JRs will be selling them...


The end of the world as we know it.


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## croatan (Mar 23, 2005)

pnoon said:


> The end of the world as we know it.


:r

No kidding. I think I'd rather give money to OFAC.


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

pnoon said:


> Not everyone feels the end of the embargo will be good for the serious cigar smoker. Yes, the legal liability will be gone but the demand will likely rise way beyond supply. Price will increase (some say dramatically) and quality could decline. People think Cohibas are expensive now? Just wait.


Yes, but this is in the short run. In the long run, as the market adjusts to fit the new demand. So, THEORETICALLY the price will go back down.

If and when the embargo ends, I'd say it will be prudent to have a large stash.


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

would someone mind PM'ing me which vendor is being targeted. I've been a little behind on the boards lately.


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

hmm, AR-15 with a M203 waiting for action


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## Teninx (Apr 23, 2006)

DriftyGypsy said:


> JRs will be selling them...


Remember when Lew Rothman was taking $200. deposits from customers who wanted to be the first in line to buy post-embargo Habanos from JR? That must have been eight or nine years ago.


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## fordkustom (Jun 28, 2007)

Lame but the govs gotta make a point so they will do it but i wonder how many cigar smokers are forced to burglarize their "hood" to support thier habit unlike say crack meth heroine etc.. and that raises the question why do they care if a couple boxes of cigars make it in its not like they are bringing in kilos of coke?


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

fordkustom said:


> Lame but the govs gotta make a point so they will do it but i wonder how many cigar smokers are forced to burglarize their "hood" to support thier habit unlike say crack meth heroine etc.. and that raises the question why do they care if a couple boxes of cigars make it in its not like they are bringing in kilos of coke?


25 cigars, 1,000 Mexicans.


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## j6ppc (Jun 5, 2006)

Here is a little gem from the May OFAC report. Emphasis mine.

"One individual has agreed to a settlement totaling $6,088.85 for allegedly dealing in property in 
which Cuba or a Cuban national had an interest: OFAC alleged that between September 2003 and 
August 2006, the individual purchased Cuban-origin cigars offered for sale on the Internet. The 
individual did not voluntarily disclose this matter to OFAC. *The individual provided information to 
OFAC concerning additional purchases of Cuban-origin cigars*"


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## pnoon (Jun 8, 2005)

sirxlaughs said:


> would someone mind PM'ing me which vendor is being targeted. I've been a little behind on the boards lately.


This is no different than publicly asking for a vendor. 
Not cool.


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## fordkustom (Jun 28, 2007)

BigVito, its all american to take the lazy way of tracking a paper trail from credit cards rather than the hard way of patroling and arresting drug trafficers! sad scary but true that an average joe is an easier target than a ak toteing crack head.


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

true, I'm starting my lab soon. :ss


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## fordkustom (Jun 28, 2007)

LMFAO, sad to think it could be easier to sell drugs and less financially futile to start a drug lab!


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

Pretty sad that its easier to do.


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## j6ppc (Jun 5, 2006)

CigarNation said:


> CigarPass has done an extensive post about the letters and the fines.
> 
> Here it is


That is an informative thread and well worth reading.



sirxlaughs said:


> would someone mind PM'ing me which vendor is being targeted. I've been a little behind on the boards lately.



See the thread on another board linked to above. Other that what Peter said. Really worth reading and no - no particular vender is outed there either.
 


fordkustom said:


> BigVito, its all american to take the lazy way of tracking a paper trail from credit cards rather than the hard way of patroling and arresting drug trafficers! sad scary but true that an average joe is an easier target than a ak toteing crack head.


This thread is about the potential consequences of violating the embargo not really about whether this is a good use of enforcement dollars. While I understand the temptation to broaden its scope the topic at hand is important enough that it should not be diluted IMHO.


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## mikeyj23 (Feb 25, 2007)

CigarNation said:


> CigarPass has done an extensive post about the letters and the fines.
> 
> Here it is





j6ppc said:


> That is an informative thread and well worth reading.


I second. That thread seems to be the standing authority web-wide about _the letters_, actions, consequences, etc.


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

going to check out the link 


j6ppc said:


> That is an informative thread and well worth reading.
> 
> 
> See the thread on another board linked to above. Other that what Peter said. Really worth reading and no - no particular vender is outed there either.
> ...


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## Lumpold (Apr 28, 2005)

PaulMac said:


> hell with that, I am drinkin whisky, loading my guns and boarding up the windows lol





icehog3 said:


> Open the door when I give the secret knock Paul...I'll bring a bottle of Stoli, a box of Gerbils, and my AR-15.


Ya'll are welcome here, but you'se won't need the guns.


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

Lumpold said:


> Ya'll are welcome here, but you'se won't need the guns.


Nor could you bring them if you wanted to! :r


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

pnoon said:


> This is no different than publicly asking for a vendor.
> Not cool.


I thought I'd been on the board long enough to ask. I just wanted to make sure it's not a specific vendor that I've enjoyed dealing with. If I'm asking who "not" to buy from, how is that asking who to buy from? I do apologize for mentioning the region. I didn't realize that wasn't allowed, as they talk about it on CP.


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## pnoon (Jun 8, 2005)

sirxlaughs said:


> I thought I'd been on the board long enough to ask. I just wanted to make sure it's not a specific vendor that I've enjoyed dealing with. If I'm asking who "not" to buy from, how is that asking who to buy from? I do apologize for mentioning the region. I didn't realize that wasn't allowed, as they talk about it on CP.


How long someone has been on the board means nothing. If you have a question about a specific vendor you've dealt with, then you should PM someone you know here and ask privately. And last time I checked, this isn't CP. Different boards have different rules and guidelines.


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

sirxlaughs said:


> I do apologize for mentioning the region. I didn't realize that wasn't allowed, as they talk about it on CP.


Too easy to figure out the vendor with that info, and that is a discussion we don't want to get into here....


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

icehog3 said:


> Too easy to figure out the vendor with that info, and that is a discussion we don't want to get into here....


:tpd:


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

pnoon said:


> How long someone has been on the board means nothing. If you have a question about a specific vendor you've dealt with, then you should PM someone you know here and ask privately. And last time I checked, this isn't CP. Different boards have different rules and guidelines.


If I broke the rules, that's fine. Then you can call me out on it, and I'll apologize. Just do not tell me I did something that's 'just like' doing something else. I asked a simple, polite question, and if no one needs to respond if they do not wish to. If anything, I'll just stay away from that specific region all together.



icehog3 said:


> Too easy to figure out the vendor with that info, and that is a discussion we don't want to get into here....


If I only knew of one vendor, it'd be even easier, haha. Always better to be safe than sorry.


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

sirxlaughs said:


> Always better to be safe than sorry.


Only one way to be safer than sorry.
However, that path would not allow enjoyment of those banned goodies.


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

Blueface said:


> Only one way to be safer than sorry.
> However, that path would not allow enjoyment of those banned goodies.


I was talking about just staying away from that specific region. haha
Waiting until I visit family in Portugal is always an option too, but who wants to wait?


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

sirxlaughs said:


> I was talking about just staying away from that specific region. haha
> Waiting until I visit family in Portugal is always an option too, but who wants to wait?


Threadjack ON:
Portugal?
I am from Murtosa.

Just kidding but did grow up with many Portuguese in Newark and shot many Portuguese weddings. Actually spoke it quite well for a while.

OK, sorry, threadjack OFF.


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## pnoon (Jun 8, 2005)

sirxlaughs said:


> If I broke the rules, that's fine. Then you can call me out on it, and I'll apologize. Just do not tell me I did something that's 'just like' doing something else.


Some of the moderators feel differently.



sirxlaughs said:


> I asked a simple, polite question, and if no one needs to respond if they do not wish to. If anything, I'll just stay away from that specific region all together.


Simple? Yes. Polite? Yes. I have no issue with that. But the question should have been asked via PM in the first place.


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

All I know is....I was reading a cigar catalog yesterday. It was not the usual way I read it either, I was looking to see if there was anything that interested me.


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## GrtndpwrflOZ (May 17, 2007)

Send Lawyers Guns and Money..........


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## mash (Jul 24, 2007)

GrtndpwrflOZ said:


> Send Lawyers Guns and Money..........


Lord get me out of this. Hi-ya!


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## Sandman (Mar 26, 2006)

jgros001 said:


> All I know is....I was reading a cigar catalog yesterday. It was not the usual way I read it either, I was looking to see if there was anything that interested me.


Yup!


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